Cranberry Ginger Simple Syrup | A New Year’s Eve Cocktail

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Gina Marie

It’s nearly New Year’s Eve and although I don’t have any fancy plans, I DO intend to be holding a fancy drink when the clock strikes twelve (Midnight. Not noon. Unless I have one at noon. It’s a holiday)

I’ve made you a cranberry and ginger simple syrup and cocktail to match. Actually, I kind of made it for me. I am currently sipping on the one pictured above. I had to test it for you. Make sure it wasn’t awful (It’s not.). You’re safe. Drink away.

I had never made my own infused simple syrup before, and it turns out it’s totally easy (perhaps this is why they call it “simple” syrup). Boil some water and sugar, add your desired infusing ingredients, let it all cool and you are in business. It’s not a lot of work, and you will seem super fancy. Nay, you ARE super fancy. No seeming about it.

Let’s make some simple syrup!

Cranberry Ginger Simple Syrup:

2 cups granulated sugar

3 cups water

2 cups fresh cranberries

1 inch of ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced

Add your water and sugar into a pot over medium heat.

Bring it to a boil. Let it bubble together until the sugar dissolves into the water and it becomes thicker. Stir it occasionally. The whole process will take around ten minutes.

Once it has come to a boil, add in your ginger and your cranberries and reduce the heat.

Allow it to simmer for an additional five minutes over low heat.

Once five minutes have passed, turn off your flame, remove the pot from the heat and stir.

Allow your mixture to cool completely and then bottle it.

You can use a fun bottle or keep it simple and use a mason jar.

It should last for a few months in the refrigerator.

Now… it’s cocktail time! There are tons of possibilities with this simple syrup! I suspect that it would be very tasty with your champagne. I, however, threw it in some vodka, shook it up, and it turned out pretty darn delicious.

Cranberry and Ginger Fizz

4 shots of vodka

4 tbs of cranberry ginger simple syrup

Soda water (I used water from my Sodastream)

Ice

Sugar, for garnish

Lime, for garnish

First, take your martini glasses and using a lime wedge, wet the rim of your glass.

Place your glass rim down in a shallow dish of sugar.

Now you have a fancy sugared rim! How festive!

Add your ice, vodka and simple syrup to your martini shaker… and, you guessed it, SHAKE!!

Pour your mixture into the martini glass until it is a little more than half way full.

Add in some sparkling water.

Garnish with a lime.

Note: No matter how much your husband insists that it is okay to SHAKE your fizzy water vigorously in your cocktail shaker, don’t believe him. There is a reason we don’t shake soda. This reason is currently all over the top of my dress and my counters. Just add it in later.

A toast to you, my friends!

Wishing you love, happiness, and all that is good this new year! Once again, thank you for making 2012 so major. How do you say? Oh yes. You are all the cat’s pajamas. The snake’s hips. The polar bear’s top hat. I might have fabricated that last one… but if you know me, you know I love nothing more than a polar bear dressed up festively. Cheers!

Happy Holidays!

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Gina Marie

Hey, Friends!

Just taking a minute to wish you all a happy holiday season! I hope your Christmas was spectacularly joyful!

As you have probably noticed, things have been a little quiet around here. I have been taking a little holiday breather to spend time with my family and appreciate it all. I will be back to posting regularly after the new year. Don’t worry. I miss you.

Christmas was a beautiful little whirlwind. We hosted 17 people this year. I have a large family. 17 is a small year.

We had a nice quiet little morning before the guests started to arrive. Some presents were exchanged. There was coffee and tea and lots of table setting.

Santa was good to me this year. I got a brand new juicer! She’s just beautiful. I made my first batch with the new girl yesterday. She juices like a dream. There will be new juicing recipes in the new year. Get excited. I also received a donut pan, a big cast-iron skillet, a Silpat and some other wonderful things…look at all this loot that is helping me help you. Gluten-free donuts in the new year? Yes. I need something to balance out the massive amounts of kale that I plan to put in my body.

After we all opened presents we sprung into action. There was some serious cooking that went on…

My dad tackled a beef tenderloin roast, and did a pretty perfect job. My brother made oven-roasted asparagus that he marinated in olive oil, balsamic and plenty of seasoning. I tackled twice-baked potatoes, and baked garlic mushrooms as well as my wilted kale and coconut salad. I had some fantastic kitchen helper elves/unpaid interns (Thanks Peter! Thanks Mom!) There were also plenty of appetizer and dessert options. No one went hungry. I’ve been having a complicated relationship with leftovers. It’s no joke. Last night I managed to justify eating a full serving of both cheesecake and chocolate cake with cherries. Save me from myself.

I wish I had Christmas pictures to share with you, but by the time I had a second to think about it, the food was demolished, the light was poor, and my feet told me I needed to sit down and have a cocktail (okay, you got me…three cocktails.) Did I mention that I whipped up some candy cane vodka? So easy. I insist you try it. Do it now.

I can’t wait to tackle this new year with you all. I sincerely appreciate that you take time out of your day to hang out with me here in my little corner of the web. I love you. Yup, you. Thanks for helping me make 2012 so much fun.

See you soon, Friends. xo

Baked Beef & Red Wine Stew

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Gina Marie

So, I’ve been having a love affair. No, love affair sounds cheap and fleeting. Hmm…

Ok, I have been having a full on committed relationship.

With Beef.

Most of my friends know this about me. When asked my favorite breakfast I will almost always say “Steak and Eggs…hold the eggs.” I’m the girl that doesn’t even have to reheat leftover steak. I will go National Geographic on a T-bone at 8am.

Steak and I don’t see each other that often anymore. I’ve been having this thing on the side with kale and some late nights with re-fried black beans and their hussy friends, the corn tortillas. Oh, and Green Juice. That has been getting hot and heavy.

But when steak and I get together, magic happens.

We are beef stew people in my family. You make it when someone needs a little comfort. A liquid hug. I know that I have posted a recipe for my Grammie’s Beef Stew before. It’s delish. This however, is a whole other animal…

I had never baked a stew before. Why did I not figure this out sooner? The meat becomes fall-apart tender. I added in a whole bottle of wine, making it all very good and drunk. It’s rich and full in flavor. Did I mention there are mushrooms in it too? Oh, yes. All served over a bed of creamy garlic mashed potatoes? Bam. Home-run. You can run the bases now and high-five everyone in your path.

Stew Ingredients:

2 lbs stew beef

2 cups beef broth

olive oil, to coat the pan

salt

pepper

granulated garlic

1 bottle of red wine

1/2 large onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs of thyme, separated from stem

1 package of crimini mushrooms, quartered

2 cups baby carrots

thyme to garnish

Mashed Potato Ingredients:

6 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tbs minced garlic

salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In a dutch oven or other oven-safe pot, heat up enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of your pot.

Once your oil is heated, add your chopped onions and garlic. Saute until the onion becomes translucent.

Add in your stew beef. Spice it up with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Brown it on all sides.

Add in the whole bottle of red wine, your beef broth, your bay leaves and your thyme.

Bring to a simmer.

Once it has reached a simmer, put the lid on your pot and transfer it to the oven.

Bake for 90 minutes.

After 90 minutes, remove the pot from the oven and add in your mushrooms and your carrots.

Return to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

While your stew is finishing, peel and quarter your potatoes.

Fill a medium-sized pot with hot water and a decent amount of salt. This will help give flavor to your potatoes as they cook. Bring your water to a boil.

Add in your potatoes and let them cook for 15 minutes, or until tender.

Drain your potatoes and transfer them back to your pot.

Add in your garlic and your heavy cream.

Using an immersion blender, blend until creamy and smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender you could use a hand-mixer or simply mash them by hand.

When your stew is ready, remove it from the oven and allow to cool for five to ten minutes.

Serve over a bed of mashed potatoes, and garnish with thyme.

Maybe eat the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. Not maybe…definitely.

Happy Friday, Friends! What do you say we put some jack in some cider later and do a virtual cheers? It’s the holidays, right? See you then. xo

One Day At A Time | A Pre-Christmas Breather

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Gina Marie

I need this reminder today.

Everywhere I look it’s Christmas. Not just Christmas, but CHRISTMAS!!!!! It’s yelling at me.

My head is full of how many packages I have to wrap and how much laundry I need to do. What am I going to make for Christmas dinner? Why didn’t I get around to infusing that booze or making that vanilla extract? I sit here legitimately kicking myself that I did not take a family portrait with myself, husband, dog and cat all in Christmas sweaters. Why did we not get around to that? When does my family get into town again? Wait…when is the water bill due again? Sheesh. Complain, complain.

I am knee deep in crafting. Covered in felt scraps. I might burn some granola. I have too many ideas and too many lists.

So, here I am with you. Taking a breath. Reminding myself to put one foot in front of the other. One step at a time. I still have six days. Things will get done.

If all else fails, I can just lock myself in my room with a pan of brownies, or start spiking my morning hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps.

Just kidding.

Kind of.

Stepping out of my Grinch-Pants and putting on my Santa hat.

I think we need some holiday cheer that doesn’t involve shopping malls, grocery store lines or laundry. When does holiday cheer ever include laundry? It totally shouldn’t. All I want for Christmas is a laundry robot.

My friends Ampersand have been doing a 12 videos of christmas. A christmas carol a day count down.

Lets spike some cocoa, and take a listen. Their dog is dressed up like Santa. It’s a win.

Wishing you a merry one day at a time. xo

Wilted Kale & Coconut Salad

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Gina Marie

If you are anything like me, you most likely took a fork to the brownie pan yesterday.

You were amped. There was a sugar-mania in which you scrubbed your shower and your entire bathroom area. Jeez, you are efficient! You started laundry. By the time the dryer beeped you developed a case of what I like to refer to as “the sugar sweats.” Your feverish mania starts to break. You start to crash. Things get real. You need a nap. You know you did it to yourself. Those brownies deserved it. It’s the holidays. You take the laundry out. You start by folding all the towels. Gosh, that laundry is warm. Maybe you will just lay in it for a minute. You wake up thirty minutes later in a pile of clean laundry. Your cat is on your chest, looking pleased with herself. You realize you left your puppy in the living room with your Christmas tree…oy.

If you are anything like me, today you need to eat a whole bunch of kale and drink a whole bunch of water.

Lately, (when I am not shoving brownies down my gullet) I cannot get enough kale in my body. I suppose there could be worse addictions. I have recently discovered the magic that happens when you wilt these beautiful greens in the oven. Not quite raw, not quite kale chips. The heat draws out their natural salt, and the spines get soft and easy to eat. It takes ten minutes, and is a very easy way to gobble up a whole bunch of yummy greens.

This is not a meal that will leave you face down in a pile of warm laundry. Promise.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of curly leaf kale

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3 cup raw walnuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Olive oil

Wash, dry and chop your kale. I just happened to use a bag of Trader Joe’s curly leaf kale that was already washed and prepped. Yay! I recommend those bags.

Place your kale on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Lightly salt the leaves. Massage the kale with your hands in order to distribute the oil and salt evenly.

Bake your kale at 350 for 10 minutes, or until the kale is gently wilted. You do not want it to be as crispy as kale chips. Although, kale chips are totally delicious.

While your kale is getting its wilt on, heat a pan over low heat.

Add your walnuts and your coconut to the pan. Lightly toast them. Both your coconut and your walnuts will become fragrant as the oils are released, and they will both get some light color.

Once you kale is out of the oven, add it to a bowl. Top your kale with the coconut and walnut mixture. Add in your cranberries.

Lightly drizzle a little olive oil over the top.

Voila!

Have a healthy day, Friends!

Peppermint Patty Brownies With Dark Chocolate Ganache | Gluten Free

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Gina Marie

What do you do when the world just doesn’t make sense?

Because, Friends, It really doesn’t. Not even close.

My heart breaks for the all of the families in Connecticut. Tears roll down my cheeks and I try to make sense of this horrifying news. No sense can be made. I extend my arms and my love and everything healing out to everyone and anyone affected by this tragedy. To all of the families that feel broken and scared and unimaginably heavy, I wish you everything. I wish you peace.

I honestly don’t know what to do in times of tragedy. I always want to fix things. I want to rescue the problem. This is rarely if never possible.

So, I cook.

It’s just something that we do in our family.

We tie up our aprons, roll up our sleeves and put things in pots and bring them to a simmer. We cream some butter, throw some batter in a pan and bake at 350.

I can’t fix it, but I can feed you. I can nourish you. I can care about you. I can put as much love and care and spice into this food as I know how. This is what I know how to do.

So, this weekend, that is exactly what I did. I spent most of it in the kitchen cooking. Granted, I could not cook for the people who needed it most, but I was able to nourish and love on my own little family. Hold them close and appreciate our time together.

There was a stew, there was a salad, there were cocktails, there was this decadent dessert.

It might sound like stress-eating. I am going to go with nurturing my soul.

These brownies are not my original creation, but rather the sugary, chocolaty, peppermint infused love child of Jessica at How Sweet It Is. From the moment I saw her Peppermint Pattie Brownie recipe I knew I needed to make them gluten-free.

Lucky for me, during my leisurely Saturday visit to the grocery store (where I purchased entirely too many ~~brussels sprouts~~ almond toffee chocolates) they were selling a gluten-free brownie mix. Eureka! Some might call this lazy, I call this destiny. Gluten-free brownie mix is usually a home-run. It rarely ever disappoints It’s not like the finicky gluten-free vanilla cake mixes that you have to overload with boxes of pudding in order to make palatable Nope. It’s usually just chewy chocolaty goodness. Plus, it’s rarely in our gluten-free lives that we get a break while baking. Just take a break. Buy the mix. Or, get fancy on me. Either way I respect you. You are the best.

Here is what you will need…

Brownie Layer Ingredients:

1 Package Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Brownie Mix (Or, any other mix you choose. If you are using a different mix, follow directions on your box and omit the rest of the ingredients listed here. Or make them from scratch. Do your worst.)

1 egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Peppermint Patty Layer:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tbs butter, softened

3 tbs evaporated milk

1/4 tsp vegetable oil

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Dark Chocolate Ganache:

4 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped

3 tbs heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Grease an 8×8 baking pan with butter or non-stick spray.

Add your gluten-free brownie mix to a large mixing bowl. Add in your egg, oil, water and mix with electric beaters until everything is combined.

Fold in your chocolate chips.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean when inserted into the center of the pan.

Set them aside to cool.

While your brownies are cooling, you can start on your peppermint layer. Place all of your peppermint layer ingredients into the mixing bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth.

Once brownies are cooled, layer the peppermint mixture on top of your brownies. Place the pan in the refrigerator for thirty minutes, or until the mixture has completely set.

After your peppermint layer has set, it’s time to make your ganache.

Heat up your heavy cream in a small pot. Once it’s hot, add in your chopped up dark chocolate, and stir until the two have completely melted into each other.

Layer the dark chocolate onto the peppermint layer. You can spread it over the whole pan, or spoon it on to each individual brownie.

What you get is a gooey, decadent, sugary-hug of a dessert.

Take the fork to the pan. I won’t judge you.

Be well, Friends! Hugs to all.

(Adapted Slightly from How Sweet It Is)

A Homemade Christmas: Rosemary Bath Salts

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Gina Marie

Christmas is swiftly approaching our doorstep. I am reminded of this every time I leave the house. There are no longer good times to go shopping. The malls are crowded with families clambering for time with Mall-Santa and fellow last-minute shoppers. Even the grocery store is a battleground. I had to drive to three different stores in my small town yesterday to find shredded coconut. Holiday baking is in FULL swing. Tensions are high. Coconut is scarce.

As much as I love buying people anything and everything, it’s hard on the wallet. Plus, there is a certain sentiment about receiving a homemade gift. It feels extra special.

This is one of the ideas that I came up with recently.

I have been going through a real bath phase. Is that a thing? I dunno. Go with it. Until recently I didn’t really appreciate the magic that is the bath. Well, not since I was six years old and would re-enact the entire Little Mermaid from beginning to end DAILY in the tub. I wanted to be Ariel. I dream big. My mom would have to start playing my Little Mermaid tape on my Lil’ Tikes tape deck before my toe would touch the water. She also was not allowed to get me out until I had belted out my last glorious note. Obviously the best part of this whole process was the part where I got to flip my hair over and sing the “AHHHH-AH-AHHHHHH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AHHHH!”. Magical.

Although bath time is no longer prompted by soundtracks (although…that sounds fun). It has been this beautiful relaxing winter meditation time. A time to get warm and relaxed and just zone out. Maybe read. Maybe just sit and breathe.

I’m a huge fan of Epsom Salts. Have you ever read the side of the bag of those things? They literally do everything. Sore muscles? Epsom salt it up. Gardening difficulties? Epsom salt it is. Digestive issues? Knock back some Epsom. It’s the girl Friday of salts.

So why not create our own lovely smelling bath soak? It’s basically like giving someone the gift of relaxation. Here, have a little miracle in a jar, on me. You are important. Breathe. Relax, you so deserve it.

*Side Note: This gift might go really well with the Little Mermaid Soundtrack.*

Want to know the best part? It takes just a few minutes to put together. I make them with a per-jar ratio. If you want to make multiple jars, just double, triple, or quintuple the recipe.

You Will Need:

2 cups of Epsom Salt

2 tbs Baking Soda

2 drops of Food Coloring

4 drops of Essential Oil (I used Rosemary)

Funnel

1 Pint Mason Jar

Label for jar

String for packaging

Measure out your salt and your baking soda, and dump them into a mixing bowl.

Add in your essential oils and your food coloring. Mix together until the color is evenly distributed throughout the salts.

Funnel your bath salts into your mason jar.

Create a label.

Tie a bow.

Look how cute it turns out! Just a few minutes of work. You are a total champ.

Have a great Friday, Friends! xo

Dark Chocolate & Coconut Milk Tart | Gluten Free | Dairy Free

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Gina Marie

Everyone has a food-allergy-friend.

You might not know it yet, but you do. It will just happen one day.

This person will come to your dinner party and exclaim that they cannot eat anything with wheat, dairy, peanuts, or that previously had a face. You wish they would have told you ahead of time. You look suspiciously at the veal shanks that you have been slow cooking for four hours and feel like you’ve made a huge mistake. You panic.

I get it.

However, if you’re making veal in a slow cooker, I would like to be your friend. Call me. I bet you like to eat steak for breakfast too. Gosh, we could probably be best friends.

I confess that I’ve totally been that allergy friend. I have whipped out a banana from my purse and eaten it at a work function. There tends to be a lot of gluten at work functions. I like to be prepared. I have the purse of a girl scout.

One of the most intimidating parts about cooking for people with food allergies is dessert. This particular tart is an absolute winner. It’s incredibly rich and decadent without using any of the usual allergy offenders. No gluten, no dairy, no problem. You will look like a hero.

Tart Crust Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond meal (or almond flour)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

2 tbs maple syrup

Tart Filling Ingredients:

1 cup lite coconut milk

2 tbs almond milk

7 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 large egg, beaten

coco powder and sea salt to top

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients for your tart crust. Almond meal, salt, and baking soda.

In a seperate bowl, whisk together your grapeseed oil and your maple syrup until it is completely combined.

Stir the wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix throroughly.

Press your dough into a 9 inch tart pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow it to cool before filling.

While your tart crust is cooling, chop up your chocolate.

In a medium sized pot, heat up your coconut milk and your almond milk. Allow it to come to a gentle simmer.

Remove your pot from the heat, and stir in your chopped up chocolate. Whisk it together until it is melted and smooth.

Give the mixture five or so minutes to cool. At that point, you can whisk in your egg.

Do not whisk your egg in immediately after removing your mixture from the heat. Your egg will scramble.

After you have whisked your egg into your chocolate mixture, and your tart crust is cool, you can pour your chocolate mixture into the tart crust.

You are ready to put it into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes (still at 350 degrees)

Your tart will become darker around the edges and should seem pretty much set. If it is slightly jiggly in the middle, that’s okay.

Let the tart cool completely before serving.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder and a bit of flaky sea salt.

Watch as food-allergy-friend is totally impressed.

Morning Mojito | Dangerously Delicious Juicing Adventures

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Gina Marie

I’ve never been a big juicer.

You can listen to me complain about it here.

But, who says people can’t change?

This past week I made it my mission to embrace all that is wonderful in the world of juice. After thanksgiving happened, and I overdosed on cheese and sweets, I was feeling lackluster. It was time to step up my health game. I was ready.

So I loaded up on veggies and fruits for the week, took out my juicer and I haven’t looked back. The juicer has earned its spot on the counter right next to my kitchen aid.

So this particular juice is straight up delicious. It’s like a drinking a mojito, except no one is going to judge you for tossing this one back at 7:00am on your way to work. In fact, they might pat you on the back. Good for you. You drank a whole head of romaine lettuce? You’re a total champ. If you had an actual mojito for breakfast you might get some weird looks on the bus that morning. Someone might comment about how you are sweating rum through your sensible pant suit. You smell like those Pirates of the Caribbean guys look. Less of a champ. Maybe just stick with the juice version for the work week. Perfect.

Side Note: Spell check is trying to make me change the word “mojito” to the word “mosquito”. Why are they not acknowledging that mojitos are real? I have a bachelorette party hangover story to PROVE those suckers are real. Coincidentally, I have a honeymoon story to prove that mosquitoes are EXTREMELY real. That, my friends is totally for another day. In the mean time…wear bug repellent while in Mexico. It’s sexier than the alternative.

Since I’ve started cramming all of these veggies and fruits into my body, I have noticed some awesome changes in my overall mood, energy and vitality. Did I mention I’m sleeping better? Dangerously better? Yeah…that’s happening.

I am not going to lie to you. You are my friends. We share things. I’m a pretty good sleeper. My body lets me know when it’s time to hit the hay. I will usually just pass out on the couch come 9:30pm. It happens swiftly and without warning. BAM. Out. Commence drooling. Usually my wonderful husband will wake me up and some point and escort me to the bedroom and tuck me in. The juice has only enhanced this already tried and true pattern. This is not what happened on Sunday evening.

Honestly, I wish I could tell you exactly what happened on Sunday evening. Don’t you ever wish there were surveillance tapes of your life? You could just roll back some footage and make sense of things? This would also help to keep my husband from stealing my chocolate stash.

Like most evenings, I was getting my narcolepsy on. I had passed out on the couch in a juice-filled healthy slumber. What happens next is puzzling. I believe, I might have decided to stand up while half awake. Perhaps I was sleep walking. I somehow tripped over myself and sprained my ankle. I woke up fully to the sounds of my ankle popping and my clumsy butt hitting carpet. My husband heard a loud thud followed by some light screaming. One tends to get a little dramatic when woken up with injury. Not great. It’s swollen. There is bruising. I am walking like the brand new owner of a shoddily-made peg leg. And yes, it hurts real bad.

This is my only juicing cautionary tale. You might sleep dangerously well. You’ve been warned.

Other than that, it’s dreamy. If you are not a big juicer, I say give it a chance. The more you drink it the more you like it. I almost crave it now. I would say start out with a little more fruit than the pro I-only-drink-leafy-greens juice fanatic. You will slowly need less and less. Just ease into it.

Let’s get our juice on.

Ingredients

1 head of organic romaine lettuce

3 cucumbers, peeled

1 lime, peeled

1-2 organic pears, chopped up

2 sprigs of mint

You ready for the easiest instructions ever?

Take out your juicer.

Juice these fruits and veggies.

Either drink this cocktail right away, or put into an airtight container like a mason jar and refrigerate it for later. Make sure to fill it up as close to the top of the jar as possible. The less oxygen that is in your jar the better. It will help to keep the nutrients from breaking down. Make sure to drink within 48 hours!

And last but not least…

Make sure you are totally awake before standing. Always.

Bottoms Up.

Apple Cinnamon Whiskey | Musings From A Birthday Girl Mess

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Gina Marie

This is the whiskey that turns a non-whiskey drinker into a friendly, sloppy, whiskey-filled birthday girl mess.

It is delicious.

You’ll think it’s good enough to drink by the half glass. Don’t bother with what your mother taught you…that whole “Stick with one kind of liquor” nonsense. What does she know? You are twenty-eight now. Total grown-up. You can make decisions. When your girlfriend asks you to have a Skinny Girl Margarita with her, you do it. It’s your freaking’ birthday, right? So what if you switch from tequila to vodka? That should be fine. You are twenty-eight. You know what you are doing. Not your first rodeo. So what if you’re not a big drinker? You just want to play Dance Central and show off some moves.

How do I know all this? I might have been this birthday girl (yup).

Flash forward to the next morning.

Headache. The rays of bright late-morning light beaming into your twenty-eight year old eyeballs, scorching them open. Nope, close your lids. That hurts. Do you have a massive head injury? You check for bleeding. Nope, all clear. That is ALL headache. You think to yourself that your mom has some wise advice. She knows what she’s talking about. You will not tell her this.

You manage to guzzle down a bottle of water and a couple of Advil. It helps. The whole rest of the day you feel like you got hit by a party bus. You ate too much cake. You drank everything. You danced like it was a disco. You hugged most of your friends for a suspicious amount of time and told them all just how TOPS you think they all are. You made some inside jokes that you no longer remember.

This is the year that it becomes glaringly clear that you cannot “party” like it’s 1999. Why did you think you could? Your hobbies are baking scones, and crocheting hats and maybe some light canning. You go to bed at 9:30 pm pretty much daily. You play eight Words With Friends games at a time with your Grandmother. You are about five years away from shaking your fist at hooligans when they try to walk on your lawn.

This is what twenty-eight looks like. Real.

Now, I don’t think twenty eight is old. I really don’t. But, this is the first birthday in a long string of birthdays that has hit me like a stampede of polar bear paws. Time is passing quickly. How did I get to be two years shy of thirty?

Time. Is. Flying. I am thinking about creating a “things to do by the time I am thirty” bucket list. Wring the most out of my twenties. Maybe I will even add a “Don’t mix whiskey and tequila” note at the bottom of it. It is a good note.

I assure you that when consumed properly and not like a hollow-legged sailor, this whiskey beverage is fantastic. Respect it, and it will treat you like a lady (or gentleman) right on back. It is smooth and sweet and needs no fancy mixers. It is a cocktail all by itself.

Do not drink with vodka, tequila or rum. I don’t care how “skinny” those margaritas claim to be. It will be a bad choice tomorrow.You will get a headache. Listen to your mother, no matter how old you are. She knows things.

This entire bottle went very quickly and was a huge hit among my friends. I think it would make a really great Christmas gift! I’ve been asked how I performed this magical whiskey makeover, so, let me tell you!

It’s easy.

Ingredients:

1 bottle of whiskey

6 apples

6 cinnamon sticks

airtight container

Wash your apples well. Cut them up and put them into your clean airtight container.

Pour in your whiskey.

Add your cinnamon sticks.

Allow it to sit for two weeks in a cool, dark place.

Once it’s done, strain it.

Although you are tempted, I would recommend not eating the apples. It looks like they’re going to be tasty. They are not. The sweet apple flavor now lives in the whiskey, leaving the apples tasting of rubbing alcohol (we tried them to take the guess work out of it for you).

Now you can bottle it up!

Funnel it into a bottle of your choosing. I found this appropriately festive, apple-covered bottle at my local Ross.

It’s really that easy.

Bottle it up and share it with some great friends! WARNING: might induce hugging, dancing, and general need to celebrate.

Cheers, to YOU and you and YOU and you. xo

So…Let's Hang Out

Monthly Archives: December 2012